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Arthritis treatment

What arthritis treatments have you found that have actually made a difference to your bunnies? Flora has a very arthritic spine and is on 0.4ml daily of dog strength metacam and this definitely helps but I was wondering about starting her on some sort of glucosomine/crondroitin supplement. She also has acupuncture every few months which helps but having moved her indoors this week since losing Parsnip, I've noticed she's hitting her legs every time she gets into the litter trays and struggles with ceocotrophs (sp), tending to pass them and then turn around to pick them up off the floor. So I'm off to the garden centre in a mo to find some low-sided gravel trays.

So what treatments do you find help and what dose do you give?

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She's 2.8kg Jane. And you're right, 0.4ml is quite a low dose. I'm thinking of upping this to twice daily as she's 9 years old and any potential renal problems are secondary to her current state of wellbeing. I've discussed this already with my vet and he's happy for me to administer more Metacam if need be.

Thanks for the other links.

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Nino was 1.7kg and having 0.4ml 2x a day for his arthritis at the end. Split dosing (every 12 hours) controlled his pain much better and reduced the inflammation. Space to be able to constantly move around is important (stops joints seizing with long periods of immobility), a heat pad to sit on at rest (I used an electric pet blanket with armoured cable) and glucosamine supplements - Synoquin Cat - one per day.

Nino was 1.7kg and having 0.4ml 2x a day for his arthritis at the end. Split dosing (every 12 hours) controlled his pain much better and reduced the inflammation. Space to be able to constantly move around is important (stops joints seizing with long periods of immobility), a heat pad to sit on at rest (I used an electric pet blanket with armoured cable) and glucosamine supplements - Synoquin Cat - one per day.

Thank you . Is the Synoquin a tablet? How do you get it down a bunny? Presumably crush and mix with something yummy?

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My Leo's around 15 now and has some arthritis and gets URI's - hes on 0.9 dose daily but the vet says I can alter the dose as I feel it's needed. He is on it daily now as we can't see the harm in it and it seems to help him. Don't think there will be kidney issues with him being so old - I've decided I'd rather just give it daily as if I leave it and give it in spells on and off he does have some discomfort I feel.

When your bunnies first started the metacam how much difference did it make? did you notice a lot of improvement?

I don't know if I am hoping for a miracle, but with Gypsy she is still very wobbley :-( she is a little bit faster but I'm not sure hw much the metacam is helping.

She also has a messy bum. Something she never got before :-(

I did find it helped - at first I messed about a bit with the dose as in lower dose for 2-3 days then off and that seemed to help but now it's seeming a daily dose is needed - which does usually help but we have good and bad days, especially recently as he has URI too.

Leo also gets the messy or wet bum sometimes as he can't lift himself as well - he was in a mess when I got in last night - think that was food related or the fact hes been on antibiotics 2-3 weeks now and has another 2 weeks supply.

Hope someone else can offer more advice - I think Leo is now getting use to the medication so just hope it keeps working to help him.